Black soldier flies in adult and larvae stages.

“I decided to apply and use my knowledge to ask questions that are relevant here. And so, to convince NUS of the potential of my research, I highlighted that there is so much diversity in Singapore. Like anywhere else in the world, our sustenance is dependent on insects. If you think about disease factors, insects play a big role in that, and managing them sustainably is important. We can also use insects for our own problems, such as [managing] food waste,” she says. While Prof Nalini had always been fascinated by animals and insects from a young age, it was only during Year 2 when a module on evolution inspired the university scholar and NUS Life Sciences student to pursue biology as a career path.

Since then, she has gone on to lead international collaborative programmes, such as a newly launched three-year project on developing a blueprint to integrate food waste management and sustainable food production using the black soldier fly. Her research has resulted in public initiatives to convert food waste into nutrients using this insect. Prof Nalini also believes that academic mentorship is vital in science, and encourages her students to actively pursue their research interests. Ensuring that her students have access to equal opportunities – no matter their background – is what drives her as an educator. Most of the publications from her lab are published in internationally peer-reviewed scientific journals, and they often feature her undergraduate and graduate students as lead authors.

Prof Nalini with research assistants Tyrone Tan and Nicole Lee.

Currently, there are 15 people on her team, including research assistants, research fellows, graduate students and undergraduates. “There are some people who say that if you work hard, it doesn’t matter if you are male or female, or whether you are a minority or not. But I think anyone who says that may actually have a form of privilege, because equality and equity are not the same thing. Equity means opportunities to chances, and that is not the same for those in the major fields of research. She says: “As minorities and females, we have to do much more to be heard and seen. And as a female leader, I feel I can help facilitate that in my own little group.”

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Text: CHELSIA TAN/ Her World